POST DIGITAL

Re-imagining the Affordable Care Acts’s Insurance Exchange

Right as the U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1, the new national health-care exchange went live at healthcare.gov. The digital platform was intended to faciliate 48 million people who want to buy health insurance under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.  In the first week nearly 9.5 million people visited HealthCare.gov but only 0.04 percent of them actually enrolled in a health plan through the site. Now after 3 weeks nearly 20 million Americans have now experienced the broken HealthCare.gov website first hand.

From Screens that don't load, to long waits via Web chats and disconnected databases the site is one of the most public technology SNAFUs in recent history.  It's important to note that Healthcare.gov isn’t just a website; it’s supposed to be a platform for building health-care marketplaces. Visiting the site should be as easy as it is to purchase car insurance or even purchasing a flight from Kayak.com


After hearing President Obama’s press conference and conducting an initial heuristics examination of the exchange platform, we decided to put the politics aside and unite our networks of digital professionals to help the administration fix and improve our government’s healthcare exchange.

I invite you to take action and join me and our all-star panel of digital design, user experience, and technology thought-leaders who will share their insights and ideas on how - together - we can improve the https://www.healthcare.gov digital experience for 48 million uninsured Americans.

Mark your calendars: On Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 1PM EST via a Public Google Hangout we will share what we have found and give concrete ideas on who this digital platform should be in service to the american people.

 

Research & Information Sources:

• Key Facts about the Uninsured Population: http://kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/
• Percentage of Americans Lacking Health Coverage Falls Again:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/us/percentage-of-americans-lacking-health-coverage-falls-again.html
• US Census: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb13-165.html
• 48 Million Americans Are Uninsured Ahead Of Obamacare Changes:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/17/census-uninsured-2012_n_3941339.html
• Health Care Law Fails to Lower Prices for Rural Areas:http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/24/business/health-law-fails-to-keep-prices-low-in-rural-areas.html
• How to navigate the Healthcare Marketplace website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXf55gQibdk&feature=share&list=PLJ8SvCQNRCK7-hBp5nIhbHabh0dgNmq4f
• Problems with healthcare.gov: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsC7J7oTE-s&feature=share&list=PLJ8SvCQNRCK7-hBp5nIhbHabh0dgNmq4f
• Congress investigating Obamacare website problems: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIYpcZQ8rvc&feature=share&list=PLJ8SvCQNRCK7-hBp5nIhbHabh0dgNmq4f
• Obamacare technical problems continue beyond sign-ups:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb3jCZWLJv8&feature=share&list=PLJ8SvCQNRCK7-hBp5nIhbHabh0dgNmq4f
• Weekly Address: Enrolling in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o1N3ko4wPE&feature=share&list=PLJ8SvCQNRCK7-hBp5nIhbHabh0dgNmq4f
• The Obamacare Website Didn't Have to Fail. How to Do Better Next Time: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-16/open-source-everything-the-moral-of-the-healthcare-dot-gov-debacle
• Traffic Didn’t Crash the Obamacare Site Alone. Bad Coding Did Too. http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/24/traffic-didnt-crash-the-obamacare-site-alone-bad-coding-did-too/#ixzz2j5P9oHWG
• FEDERAL OFFICIALS PREVENTED LENGTHY TESTING PROCESS OF OBAMACARE WEBSITE: http://www.fastcompany.com/3020204/fast-feed/federal-officials-prevented-lengthy-testing-process-of-obamacare-website
• CRITICAL HEALTHCARE.GOV DATA CENTER CRASHES:http://www.fastcompany.com/3020746/fast-feed/critical-healthcaregov-data-center-crashes
• OBAMACARE IS HERE, BUT FOR MANY, HEALTHCARE.GOV IS NOT:http://www.fastcompany.com/3019012/fast-feed/obamacare-is-here-but-for-many-healthcaregov-is-not
• U.S. Government Fixes Copyright Violation in Healthcare.gov Code:http://mashable.com/2013/10/24/obamacare-code-copyright/
• Obama Plays Tech Support for Healthcare.gov: http://mashable.com/2013/10/21/obama-healthcare-glitches/
• White House Recruits Tiger Team to Fix HealthCare.gov: http://mashable.com/2013/10/21/healthcare-gov-fix/
• LESS THAN 1 PERCENT OF HEALTHCARE.GOV VISITORS SUCCESSFULLY ENROLLED IN AN INSURANCE PLAN: http://www.nextgov.com/health/2013/10/less-1-percent-healthcaregov-visitors-successfully-enrolled-insurance-plan/72041/

 

Video & News Coverage:

 

 

 

on: summer's eve's talking vagina controversy

Hey ladies - Summer's Eve is back!  After last years disastrous campaign that told woman to douche before asking for a raise, they have launched a series of talking hand-puppet vaginas, as part of its new "Hail to the V" campaign.

The campaign is meant to be about empowering women and rejuvenating the brand.  The three ads have created a new set of issues.  Listen to the voice work.  People claim that the African American and Latina versions promotes racial stereotypes. 

As a proud Latina, nothing about these videos offended me.  My initial reaction was to laugh.  They caught my attention and got me to consider the product.  (leaning in) Shhh - with out the bronxy accent that is what my inner voice sounds like - especially the spanish part.  Do you think the accent over the top? Is it racially inappropriate if you are not the intended latina audience?

According to AdWeek: The larger problem for Summer's Eve is that many women see douching products themselves, and any marketing of them, as anti-woman—i.e., creating a feeling of shame around the issue of cleanliness, then selling the antidote to the shame.

I would like to call BS! For years we have had to endure spots for guys with penis issues. they can endure a minute of clean vagina messaging.  Everyone from Consumerist to the Daily News has weighed in on the withering critiques.

What do you think?  Do the spots manage to hit that magical advertising sweet spot of being both sexist and racist?

ON: The Hijacking of Starbucks

This is a a story of Social Media gone terribly wrong... Or is it?  Tuesday I was researching Starbucks' most recent campaign launch when I ran across, Filmmaker, Robert Greenwald's documentary about the union busting practices at Starbucks.  This find was not a mistake.  Greenwald and his company Brave New Films planned it that way. 

The same day that Starbucks launched it's' multi-million dollar scavenger hunt-like ad campaign in order to “harness the power of online social networking sites...”, Greenwald & company launched a blog post at an anti-Starbucks website Brave New Films created.  The post encouraged people to take pictures of themselves in front of Starbucks stores holding signs targeted at the company’s “anti-labor practices.”

Like the Starbucks campaign, users are then told to upload these photos onto Twitpic and tweet them out to their followers using the hashtags #top3percent and #starbucks. According to the post, these are the official hashtags that were designated by the Starbucks.

Within hours, several people had followed these guidelines and there were dozens of Twitpics in front of stores across the country.

As of this post, the anti-Starbucks YouTube video has amassed over 49,000 views and was featured on the front page of Digg.

In an bad economy - where the consumer perception is that big corporations have forgotten about real people - does this seem like poor planning on the part of Starbucks? 

What I think is unmistakable is that, transparency is king and customers really do manage the air waves.

ON: Scam Car Warranty Calling Campaign

Has your cell phone been ringing off the hook with calls from new and interesting phone numbers you have never seen before? Shoot...My cell phone is ringing again.  The number on the screen is (623) 238-6228... I'd better pick it up.

JP-B: "Hello?"
Automated Caller: “Your car warranty is expiring. We have notified you several times by mail. Press 1 to renew your warranty.”
JP-B: [annoyed pesses 1] Hey - my car is new!
Operator: Silence then a sigh [Hangs up!]

As a card carrying member of the Direct Marketing Association, I am always willing to listen to someone's pitch or even CRM program, especially if they have my cell number. When I realized this was a scam I did some homework. 

Just in case you thought that this call was from your favorite auto brand that had completed their sophisticated CRM program, worry no more, its scammers who have created a system that is untraceable so far. The NYTimes reported that States have begun investigations.  It is disturbing that the criminals are doing better job of following up on my car's performance than the brand that I bought it from. hmmm???

If you are getting these calls from numbers like (623) 238-6228, (408) 587-2116, (202) 552-1332, (702) 520-1105, (609) 948-0971 and (562) 289-8136 these calls are illegal.  A clever person over at reddit has discovered the identity of one of the spammers.  They have posted their phone number for the world! Gotta love the power of an active community!  

If you are getting these calls or have information about the companies making them you can report these it to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) - and file a complaint with the FCC at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html.  When you report it, you will help make sure that only the brands you love can call you and offer you something new or interesting!

ON: Wrangler's Why?

Why?  Why ask Why?  Wrangler the definition of an all American bravado brand seems to have taken its brand to an existential place that does not connect with the people who buy their jeans. The "WHY?"campaign that asks why and then answers with "we are animals" does not tell me why I should wear their jeans or why Wrangler will gives me more bravado than other jeans.

Here is the WHY Mantra: "Why do we do certain things? Where does this strength come from, this strength which pushes us forward, helps us and drives us? Is there something in each of us, what makes us stronger? And where does this instinct come from, which makes us, go further without thinking? WE ARE ANIMALS."

There is a way to make Wranglers sheik. This is not one of them.   Even if this was for a Belgian and French audience it seems to loose its core rugged brand presence with a Frenchman speaking in English and not being able to articulate "speed up" instead of "spit up".  What plays in Eurpoe does not always play in Peoria.

The campaign site at http://eu.wrangler.com did a much better job of making the brand look like the American bravado revisited with runway looks that took the rugged denim to a fashionista friendly look for those who want a rugged attitude and life.  While the spot sold me nothing, I would recommend hitting the site at  http://eu.wrangler.com. The site sells the idea "We Are Animals" in away that connects with purchasing jeans.

ON: UMA vs. Lancome

What do you get when your lazy web master forgets to pull down the your last campaign?

French Cosmetic Titan, Lancome, has just found out.
The company is being accused of continuing to use and drive sales on its Asian and Canadian web "Billboards" by using Uma Thuman's face without Uma's permission.

Uma has filed a 15 million dollar suit.

Lancome countered with a suit saying they never "knowingly"  used Uma's image and thought that the web pages were "inadvertingly archived".

Rumor has it that Lancome only offered her 100k for the illegal use of her image after her 5.8 million dollar contract was up. 

So what do you think...

Talent fee theft?  Or a incompitant web company?

ON:The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and Above the Influence expose stoners in their natural habitat to promote drug awareness.  I can't remember the last time I had such mixed feelings about a piece of creative. Check out the site at http://www.abovetheinfluence.com

On one side, the Above the Influence campaign has done a spectacular job of creating an informative, immersive, fun interactive experience.  On the other hand, I believe they have failed miserably at actually achieving their goal. In fact, my informal polling uncovered a unanimous response: "This would be awesome to play with when you're high." Clearly not the message they were aiming for. 

I don't want to be cynical in thinking that this site is going to be frequented by a bunch of kids gagging back hits of pot, and maybe that's who Above the Influence wants to attract. 

While the idea is cool...the execution blows up and seems fake.   If you have done any research in the last two years you would know, kids are not into fake and their peers and parents are their biggest influencer's.   This site is really bush league.  It is marketers talking to themselves. 

I think a group of kids could have done a better job of influencing their peers.  thoughts???

ON: My iTunes Library Debacle & Rant

  Steve Jobs' Grave 
  Originally uploaded by donatreides

I am normally an Apple evangelist and rarely use this blog as a forum to piss in the wind.  But here it goes.  Last week I got my bright shiny new Apple iMac.  after loading it up with all of my applications, pictures and music, I went to listen to a few of my oldies but goodies that I had purchased from the iTunes store back in the day with my email was [email protected]. 

To my dismay it prompted me for a password associated with that account.  Grrr.  The security application embedded in your music files was not recognizing my new email account association. (so i have all my music but cannot unlock it on this computer)

I went though the motions of trying the my new account info, several different of my old passwords...then proceeded to email the iTunes Help desk.

One week later I have not had a response from Apple (despite the 24 hour guarantee) and cannot access half of my music library. (aggravating cause i work to my music)

I cannot imagine that I am the only user out there who has changed her addresses over the years.  When I went though the XML files what I learned is that apple associates songs with your email address and the system you buy them from.

So what I need Apple to do is re-enter 2 of my old email accounts back into their database and give me a password so I can activate the music on my new Mac. 

Does anyone out there have Apple contact I can call or a recco on how to resolve?

ON: Calvin Klein & in2U

Today, I was making a list of this years worst brand launches.  I stumbled upon Calvin Klein's IN2U.  What occurred to me is that if CK had done their homework on this audience, it would have realized that their teenage angst would backfire on the brand before it hit the shelves.  I start with the ad of 2 models as opposed to real people.  Their target wants their place in the sun... their 15 MB of fame.

Aside from the obvious mis-steps such as the use of IM vernacular the new site for Calvin Klein's CKin2U perfume as pointed out by Adland, does anyone else look at this visual of a guy pressing up against a girl and think "Gee those two are representative of our "technosexual" generation".  I think not!

The site is not very deep, nor is it rich... So why use flash if not for a level of rich media?  Where is the content?  Hopefully when they launch this site it will give us some meat so that I would want to use the "send to a friend" feature.

Related Posts & Articles:

• Calvin Klein Wants In To You
• I'm not into CKin2U - another perfume launch fails?
• Parody ad for Calvin Klein's in2u
• Calvin Klein 2.0 a no-go with bloggers
• NY Times - How to Bottle a Generation
• Gothamist:The Scent of a Cool, Young New Yorker

ON: Edelman's Sorry for getting caught statement.

Last week, Wal-Mart was outted for a fake Wal-Mart blog set up by Edelman PR. After nearly a week of silence (which on the web is like a year) Edelman's CEO owned up to the deception - sort of.

Catch the buzz at Marketing Vox >>